Oncocua is located miles away from civi isation in the south of Angola. It is but one of many villages in a country where the ravages of 27 years of civil war will be felt long into the future, but one where football is helping to heal wounds and build new self-esteem.
The miracle happened on 9 December 2005. It was a Friday evening. Manuel Farrusco was sirring in his crowded bar, staring at an old colour TV set, one or two in the entire village, along with 100 other people. The 41-year-old still trips over his words today when he describes how Johan Cruyff reached into Pot 2 and drew Angola into Group D alongside Portugal. “It was as if the country had momentarily stopped breathing. P-O-R-T-U-G-A-L against A-N-G-O-L-A,” he says again, emphasising each individual letter to lend his words even more importance. His hands shake when he adds: “At the World Cup!”
Home ro around 1,000 people, die village of Oncocua lies in the middle of nowhere, far away from civilisation. The next settlement is a six-hour drive away. There are no roads, just abysmal sand tracks riddled with potholes. Yer even here, in the remotest part of the southern Angolan province of Gunene, the excitement ahead of the biggest match of all time knew no bounds. No one had ever thought it possible that the Palancas Negnu, the Black Antelopes, couldqualify for the FIFA World Cup finals. And now they were playing the Portuguese, of all people, llie Portuguese, who had ruled the Angolans for more than 400 years. The Portuguese, who had leh Angola to its own devices, and thus war, in the mid-1970s. The Portuguese, of all people, who still profit from the wealth of their former colony to this day.

Born: 5 August 1980 in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Nationality: Paraguayan
Height: 1.73m
Weight: 78 kg
Nickname: “Chava”
Position: forward
Clubs: 1998-1999: 12 de Octubre (Paraguay). 1999-2000: Guarani (Paraguay). 2000-2001: 12 de Octubre (Paraguay). 2001-2003: Audax Italiano (Chile). 2003-2006: Jaguares de Chiapas (Mexico). Since 2006: America (Mexico).
Honours: 2003: top scorer in the Chilean Apertura (18 goals) 2006: top scorer in the Mexican Clausura (11 goals). 2007: top scorer in the Copa Libertadores (10 goals). 30 caps for Paraguay, five goals.

He then proved that he was up to that particular challenge. In Cabanas, the Agitilas found the goal scoring prowess that they had been looking for. Besides being top scorer in last year’s Copa Lihertadores, he scored nine goals in both Mexican domestic league championships and was also on the scoresheei in the North American SuperLiga. His deadly finishing and his mobility in the area make him one of rhe most dangerous strikers around. Married with one son, Santiago (5), he is a man of few words who lends to be elusive with the press and not particularly effusive with the fans. It is all parr of his personality and also helps to explain why so little is known about him.
“I think that every player tries to contribute what he does best. In my case, it’s goals and teamwork. Those are the most important things for me,” says Cabanas, one of last year’s top goalscorers and whose ponycail, stocky build, character and range of finishing skills make him a distinctive figure and currently the world’s most famous Paraguayan.